


think i could love you

by dryadfiona



Category: Scooby Doo - All Media Types
Genre: F/F, Valentine's Day, Valentine's Day Fluff
Language: English
Status: Completed
Published: 2020-02-14
Updated: 2020-02-14
Packaged: 2021-02-27 23:41:18
Rating: General Audiences
Warnings: No Archive Warnings Apply
Chapters: 1
Words: 2,203
Publisher: archiveofourown.org
Story URL: https://archiveofourown.org/works/22684129
Author URL: https://archiveofourown.org/users/dryadfiona/pseuds/dryadfiona
Summary: Velma's certain that Valentine's Day is the day to tell Daphne how she feels. Unfortunately, all these "ghosts" are getting in the way.
Relationships: Daphne Blake/Velma Dinkley, Fred Jones/Norville "Shaggy" Rogers, Minor or Background Relationship(s)
Comments: 10
Kudos: 197





	think i could love you

**Author's Note:**

  * For [switchblade](https://archiveofourown.org/users/switchblade/gifts).



> all of my knowledge of scooby doo comes from osmosis via my friend who this is for. if it's inaccurate...i tried. i'm pretty sure the rs in front of what scooby says aren't placed correctly but i tried there too

"I have a plan," Velma says to her friends.

"A plan to do what, Velma?" Fred asks, tinkering with some contraption that looks far too dangerous for people their age.

"To tell Daphne how she feels, dude!" Shaggy interjects before Velma can answer. Velma nods at him, pleased.

"Exactly," Velma says.

"Ran't you just...rell her?" Scooby says.

"Absolutely not," Velma says. "At least, not yet."

"This seems complicated," Fred says, as if he doesn't have what looks like a bomb in front of him. (It's definitely not a bomb. Probably not, anyway.)

"No," Velma says. "Part one of my six-step plan--"

Scooby groans.

"I'll give you a Scooby snack if you help out."

Scooby and Shaggy both perk up. Fred doesn't.

"Fred, I'll renew your subscription to Trapmakers Magazine."

Now all three of them are looking at her with renewed interest.

"So step one--"

* * *

Step one: the build-up.

It's as important as the actual confession, if the movies Velma watched for research were correct. Sure, they were all very heterosexual and often awkward, but that just meant she needed to improve upon the formula, not change it completely.

Velma's been leaving notes in Daphne's locker for a couple weeks. Daphne's always excited when she gets them, running up to Velma in the hall and showing her the heart-shaped papers.

"They're like the little Valentine's Day candies!" Daphne says, pulling Velma in with one surprisingly-strong arm. "Look, this one says _puppy love_ and this one says _crazy 4 you_ and this one says _ez 2 love_."

"That's good, right?" Velma asks, hoping her lack of experience will explain the hint of worry in her voice.

"Yes!" Daphne says. "Yes, Velma, I _love_ Valentine's Day. It's my second-favorite holiday!"

Velma, honestly, has never seen the appeal--it's a hypercommercial holiday designed to sell chocolates--but she loves Daphne's smile.

"What's your favorite?" Shaggy asks, walking up with Scooby, whose service dog vest is stuffed to bursting with snacks.

"Halloween!" Daphne says brightly. Velma can't stop looking at the smile on her face, but she's fine, because Daphne always gives whoever she's talking to her full attention. It's one of the first (and one of the many) things Velma noticed and liked about her. "I mean, I know it's all fake--we're proof of that--but the drama and the mystery of it all..." Daphne sighs dreamily.

Velma briefly considers waiting until Halloween. But no--she's already started step 1.

* * *

Step two: the mystery.

The thing about them--all five of them--is that they love what they do. They don't solve mysteries because they have to or because they get paid for it or because of the attention. They solve mysteries because they _love_ them. 

Daphne's old "friends" thought it was a phase when Daphne first went to them, talking so quickly it was almost hard to make out about a crocodile ghost at the run-down docks who _actually_ turned out to be the old janitor, mad about layoffs. Some of them thought she had a crush on Fred. 

That would never work out, Velma knows, and not just because she's _pretty_ sure Daphne's gay. Hoping, at least.

"Velma, you're better at this then I am," Fred says.

"That's not true," Velma says with a furrowed brow. "I'm the most socially awkward out of all of us, and Scooby's a dog."

"But I _really_ like him, V," Fred says, head in his hands. It's a weird inversion of when Velma showed up at his house at 7am, talking about makeup for twenty minutes before Fred managed to get "I like Daphne maybe tell anyone and I'll stab you" out of her. Even then, it took another hour before she'd say it when looking right at him.

"I know you do," Velma says. It's obvious, and since _she's_ the one saying that, that means something. Fred's been pining after Shaggy since before Daphne joined their group, since before Scooby was officially registered as a service dog, since before Shaggy transitioned, even. "You know he likes you back, right?"

"How do you know that?" Fred asks suspiciously. "Where's your evidence?"

"Not _everything_ is a mystery, Fred," Velma says knowingly.

Fred raises an eyebrow at her.

"This is _romantic_ ," Velma says, defensively, shoving a card through Daphne's locker. "My point still stands!"

"Sure," Fred says. "But how do I tell him? I don't want to take your idea."

"I don't know," Velma says. "Honestly, you could write it into a pizza and he'd be happy."

"I considered that," Fred says, nodding thoughtfully and with as much seriousness as he puts into the life-and-death situations they regularly find themselves in. "But I want to make sure he reads it _before_ he eats it. Plus, I get him food all the time. This needs to be special!"

"Velma!" Daphne says. "Fred! Look look _look_!"

Daphne shoves the card in their hands, bouncing up and down a little. Seeing Daphne so excited makes her almost forget to read the card, making it a surprise.

_If you want to know who I am,_

_There's a few clues to follow._

_Clue 1:_

_For early mornings or all-nighters_

_I'm at the home of weary writers._

"Wow, a mystery! They know you pretty well, huh?" Fred says. Velma wonders if she can surreptitiously elbow him.

"I think so!" Daphne says, looking down at the card with a soft smile Velma hasn't seen before. Her heart skips a beat. "Velma, you're the smartest girl I know. Will you help me?"

"You're smarter than you give yourself credit for," Velma says. "But of course I'll help," she rushes to add when Daphne's face falls.

Her returning grin is sunny as anything.

* * *

Step three: scavenger hunt.

The _problem_ with step three is that other things happen.

Like this ghost, for example.

Velma's not sure who taught everybody in town to make costumes, but they're always flawless. The person's a little see-through but still solid, knocking Shaggy over, Scooby helping him get to cover even as they're both shaking with fear.

"Muahahaha!" the ghost cackles, and Daphne makes a face at Velma from across the coffee shop. "No morning coffee dates for happy couples when the Heartbreaker's here!"

"You're spoiling Valentine's Day!" Velma says, upset more for Daphne and for her confession than for herself.

Fred, master of traps, manages to swing one of the tables into the ghost, who runs out of the room--probably before his costume gets ripped up and people see who he really is.

"I know that wasn't the clue," Daphne says, "but that was really cool."

"I can't believe you managed to talk us into skipping school to help you with this," Fred says, shaking his head and winking at Velma. Velma smiles back when Daphne's not looking.

"That's 'cause you guys are such good friends," Daphne says, pulling them into a quick group hug. "Let's find the clue and follow the ghost!"

Taped over where Daphne's favorite latte is on the menu is another heart-shaped slip of paper. Daphne easily manages to convince the tired-looking barista to grab it for her, and the five of them huddle together to read a clue that four of them already know.

_You're finding clues, no need to stop_

_Just go where you would go to shop._

"The mall?" Shaggy suggests.

"I don't go there a lot anymore," Daphne says, furrowing her brow. "We go to Main Street a lot, let's try there!"

* * *

Step four: letting her guess.

Daphne's only half-focused on the scavenger hunt, though, because the ghost is a little more in-your-face. If it doesn't go away soon, Velma might punch it.

"No happy dates for couples! Valentine's Day is unfair!" the Heartbreaker cackles at them. Here's where, if the plan was _working_ , Fred and Shaggy and Scooby would've asked Daphne who she thought it was, would've told Velma her responses. (Velma had anticipated being in school, but Daphne had smiled at her and asked to skip, and Velma can never say no to her.)

"What's this dude's p-problem, V?" Shaggy says. He's hiding with her while Daphne tries to lead the ghost into a trap that Fred's had set up in Main Street for weeks. He's thrilled at the opportunity to use it.

"He's not happy with happy couples," Velma says, curious despite herself. "And he really hates Valentine's Day."

The spring is so loud it's almost cartoonish, launching the ghost far enough away that his jetpack--or whatever he's using to fly around--can't get him back to Main Street too quickly.

"I can't find the clue," Daphne says, looking through the rubble.

"It right've gotten rost," Scooby says sympathetically, both for Daphne and for Velma. Velma could cry, but maybe this is for the best. Halloween is only...ten months away.

"You're looking for a clue?" asks a nice old woman. "My wife and I saw something like that earlier--a little heart-shaped piece of paper?"

"Yes!" Daphne says, jumping up from where she's lying on the street, looking under a bunch of cars. "Where was it?"

"It was in the arcade, taped to one of the machines."

"The Turning," Daphne says brightly.

"How'd you know?" the old woman asks.

"It's my favorite," Daphne gushes. "We're trying to find out who my secret admirer is!"

"The clue said something about being a click away, then," the old woman says.

"Thank you!" Daphne says before rushing off. Fred and Shaggy and Scooby race after her.

"Thank you," Velma says sincerely. "It means a lot."

The woman smiles knowingly. "Hope it works out for you, kid."

* * *

Step five: this ghost is the _worst_.

That isn't step five, but it's how Velma's _feeling,_ and it may as well be, he's making his way into all their plans.

They're back at school at the same time as it's getting out, where Velma _would_ have met with Daphne, but instead, it's--

"I'm the Heartbreaker!" it cackles, as if the giant broken heart on his chest wasn't obvious enough. "No promposals! No hand-holding! No love confessions!"

"This is stupid," Daphne huffs, hiding with Velma behind a schoolbus. "Who would hate Valentine's Day?"

"I'm starting to understand that," Velma says with a huff.

"But it's about love!" Daphne says, grabbing Velma's hand. "Not just romantic, even if that's what all the commercials are for. Valentine's Day is about loving your friends and your family and your--your crushes, and--" She takes a deep breath. "And, Velma--"

"Look out, man!" Shaggy calls, and Fred rolls behind the same bus they're hiding behind.

"Oh, hey, guys!" Fred says. "I might...need help."

"Did your trap br--"

"Break is a strong word," Fred interrupts Daphne.

"Okay," Daphne says. "Velma, wanna help me out?"

"You know it," Velma says, heart beating so fast she can feel it in her throat. Daphne still hasn't let go of her hand.

* * *

Step six: tell Daphne in-person.

The thing is, step _six_ would've been easier if steps three through five had worked as planned.

Sure, they managed to get the ghost to run into a wall, where Fred had pulled off his mask to find it was Principal Smith who was mad about PDA or something (Velma had stopped paying attention), and there's always something satisfying about a mystery solved.

"So who do you think my secret admirer is?" Daphne asks. "I hope they don't think I was ignoring them. They'll probably see the ghost on the news, right?"

"Right," Velma says.

"Unless they don't read the news," Daphne continues. "But I don't know if I _wanna_ date someone who's not in the loop, you know?"

"Daphne..."

"I like smart people," Daphne says. "People who know their way around the world."

"Daphne, it's me."

"What's you?" Daphne asks.

"I'm...your secret admirer," Velma says. "And, uh, I don't know if you feel the same. I would've known, maybe, if the principal didn't get in the way, but--I really love being your friend, and--"

"Velma," Daphne interrupts. Velma shuts up immediately and prepares for the worst. "Velma, can I kiss you?"

"Um," Velma says. "Uh, just to be clear--"

"I like you too, Velma!" Daphne says, grabbing her hand again. "I've been trying to tell you for months, but then this admirer thing happened and I wasn't sure if it was you because the handwriting didn't match--"

"You checked my handwriting?" Velma asks.

"I'm a mystery solver," Daphne says, which isn't a no.

"Yes," Velma says.

"Yes what?" Daphne asks, confused.

Rather than clarify, Velma just kisses her. Daphne kisses back. They pull apart after just a second, smiling wider than anything. The moment is, unsurprisingly, interrupted.

"Velma!" Fred says, waving at her from across the gym. "Velma, guess what Shaggy said?"

Velma's glasses are dirty, but she can still see them hand-in-hand across the gym. "I told you he liked you back!"

"Shaggy tried to tell me you liked me too," Daphne says. "But he wouldn't say how he knew."

"He's a good friend," Velma says, full of love for her friends as much as for her--girlfriend? She guesses.

"So're you," Daphne says, resting her head on Velma's shoulder even though the angle's a little awkward.

Velma's starting to really like Valentine's Day.


End file.
